SEGA has attended the Taipei Game Show, which is a huge gaming convention set in China. SEGA Japan brought all their big Japanese titles to show off at the event, as you can see above.
[UPDATE] The game announced at the event? …. Utawarerumono is coming to China. Utawarerumono is a “adult tactical role-playing visual novel” that was published in the West by Atlus in 2017. [/UPDATE]
According to their list, they showed all the following games off at the event:
If you guys remember last year, we ran a story that Sonic Forces Super Sonic DLC was free for a limited time, after the initial release (January 23rd) they would be charging users $1.99 to download the ability to turn into Super Sonic. We rightfully complained about this since Super Sonic has been a free unlockable in Sonic the Hedgehog games since the transformation was introduced in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The idea of turning a long running feature of a franchise into a product didn’t sit well with us and other Sonic the Hedgehog fans.
If you have been waiting to get yourself the digital version of the Sonic Mania soundtrack, written by Tee Lopes, you are in luck. The Sonic Mania Original Soundtrack (Selected Edition) has now hit iTunes (USA link here). The soundtrack features 47 tracks, seems that old tracks that would require a royalty fee have been left out. Notice Green Hill Zone and Chemical Plant Zone missing. I guess you can let me know in the comments below. The soundtrack is priced at £14.99 or $15.99! The Sonic Mania soundtrack also got a vinyl release by Data Disc, obviously featuring less tracks. No excuses not to promote good video game music.
Above I linked to a interview with had with Tee Lopes regarding his amazing work on the Sonic Mania soundtrack. If you are a fan of his music, give it a listen!
Shenmue 3 has revealed 3 new screenshots via the MAGIC Monanco conference. One of the screenshots, above, shows off Ryo and Shenhua. If you didn’t notice this is an updated model that includes facial expressions. Personally still think these models are a ways off, the body shape of Ryo particularly is rather strange.
The other two Shenmue 3 screenshots feature two areas that you will be able to explore whenever the full game releases. One is a port with boats and the other looks like a Chinese temple Shopping center*. I might be wrong on that last one, but regardless these environments look impressive. So far Shenmue 3‘s real strength have been its environments. I personally only have issues with the models that are being used thus far. But seeing that every time they show the models, they are changed, maybe they will eventually be fixed. What do you think? Am I nitpicking?
If you have been following our blog, you will know we are all massive SEGA-AM2 fanboys and have been asking for Border Break to come to consoles since it was released back in 2009. Now, in 2018, we can finally rest easy. On this episode of the SEGA News Bits we discuss the announcement, go over the release details and complain about SEGA games not getting world wide releases. So tune in and let us know what you think of Border Break finally hitting PlayStation 4 consoles!
If you enjoy our SEGA News Bits segments and want to support us: Give us a sub and give this video a like so it shows up on more like minded fans YouTube recommendations. You know, how that YouTube algorithm is.
For SEGA fans that are big fans of the First of the North Star (Hokuto Ga Gotoku) series, SEGA of Japan have now done a long form stream showing off over an hour of gameplay. As you can tell from the gameplay, Hokuto Ga Gotoku is very much a licensed Fist of the North Star game built on top of the Yakuza 0 engine. This isn’t the first time that SEGA has done something like this, Yakuza Kiwami was built this way. I just find it weird that they kept a lot of the same UI design from the Yakuza series, would have been cool to see reworked maps and other UI designed by the manga creator instead of just reusing the Yakuza look.
Hokuto ga Gotoku is coming out on PlayStation 4, in Japan on March 8 with a standard and “Century’s End Premium” edition. SEGA hasn’t mention anything about this game coming out outside of Japan… fingers crossed!
SEGA announced today via a live stream that the long running SEGA AM2 developed arcade game, Border Break, would be coming to PlayStation 4. Finally! The third-person mecha action arcade game hit the scene way back in September 9, 2009 and since then has had over 16 huge updates. The latest one being called Border Break X Zero, that came out earlier this year.
Border Break will be a free-to-play game download and also get a physical release over in Japan. Of course, this was just announced via a live stream so we don’t know if this game would make it over to the States. Since I’m a massive SEGA-AM2 fanboy, I of course, really want this game to come out over here. The first Beta for Border Break starts next month, so it seems this port has been in the works for awhile! What a great surprise.
On this episode of the SEGA News Bits, we say goodbye to 2017 and start discussing what SEGA has in store for 2018. Join us as we discuss all the major releases from SEGA, SEGA related games not published by SEGA and what surprise announcements we think SEGA has for us next year. So sit back, listen in and let us know what SEGA title you are looking forward to the most in 2018!
If you enjoy our SEGA News Bits segments and want to support us: Give us a sub and give this video a like so it shows up on more like minded fans YouTube recommendations. You know, how that YouTube algorithm is.
The Japanese website 4Gamer has put up an article talking to Japanese video game developers from a wide range of companies on what to expect from them in 2018. It is basically a yearly tradition at this point. Sadly we only got one person interviewed from SEGA and that was Toshihiro Nagoshi, who has many hats at SEGA including Chief Creative Officer. This is what Toshihiro Nagoshi had to say about 2018:
“We still have some unannounced things. We have more surprises, so please look forward to it!”- Toshihiro Nagoshi
Sucks that he didn’t tease what these announcements could be or from what studio within SEGA they are coming from. Toshihiro Nagoshi’s own studio, Yakuza Studios, seems to have laid out its future recently at this year’s TGS with titles like Yakuza Kiwami 2 (Just released earlier this month in Japan), Hokuto ga Gotoku (comes out March 2018), Yakuza Online mobile game, and the barely teased Shin Yakuza title. I doubt these announcements are from the Yakuza Studio, but you never know. There was that financial report that stated SEGA wanted to revive major IPs on their road to 2020. Could we be seeing some of the first hints of this next year? What do you want to see SEGA announce for next year? Let us know in the comments below!
The trailer above was shown off during the live stream for Valkyria Chronicles 4, which shows off a lot of the in-game mechanics SEGA has been talking about recently. The new trailer also shows off a brand new stage features such as environmental effects like fire and blizzards which can block areas in the map, making the user rethink their strategy during a match.
Another new features shown in the trailer is a “Dummy Tank” that is basically a decoy. Out side of that, it seems to have a lot of what we all loved from the first game and that isn’t a bad thing. Valkyria Chronicles 4 hits Japan on March 21, 2018 for PlayStation 4 and later on for Nintendo Switch. While we in the West will get the game sometime in 2018 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
While some people will say that remixing a track of Persona 3 isn’t a huge deal, it is when its Hideki Naganuma who has delivered some of the best remixed soundtracks of all time. If you didn’t know Hideki Naganuma is known for composing soundtracks such as Jet Set Radio, Jet Set Radio Future, Ollie King, Sonic Rush, and more. The last time he worked within SEGA was in 2012 when he did minor work on Yakuza 5.
Seems that he is back, at least at Atlus. He has confirmed via twitter that has joined the Persona 3 Dancing Moon Night soundtrack and will be remixing “When the Moon’s Reaching out the Stars”, which you can hear above. Another company name that made the remix list is Yuu Miyake of Namco-Bandai fame, who is doing a remix of “Deep Breath Deep Breath”. But he has been on Persona soundtracks in the past. Nice to get new soundtrack featuring a track by Hideki Naganuma, even if its just a remix. Hey, maybe SEGA or Atlus will hire him more in the future. Here is hoping.
Persona 3: Dancing Moon Night hits PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, in Japan, on May 24, 2018. As far as I know there hasn’t been a Western release announced yet. Atlus plans to also release Persona 5: Dancing Star Night on the same.
While I put SEGA in the title, this was actually shown off by Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia. This Hokuto ga Gotoku limited edition PlayStation 4 is set to hit Japan this March 8th, 2018. The limited edition console will be sold on the Japanese Sony Store and come in 500GB for 33,480 plus tax ($296 USD) or 1TB model for 38,480 plus tax ($340 USD).
PlayStation 4 console (Jet Black)
Hokuto ga Gotoku PS4 top cover
Hokuto ga Gotoku PS4 original theme
Hokuto ga Gotoku PS4 original designed package
DualShock 4 Jet Black controller
Monaural headset
Power cable
HDMI cable
USB cable
Yeah, it does seem that the Hokuto ga Gotoku limited edition PlayStation 4 won’t be coming with a copy of the game. It seems to be a normal think for Japanese limited edition consoles. Seems like a good move for a publisher like SEGA but not so great for consumers. SEGA has yet to announce Hokuto ga Gotoku localization, but they already announced Catherine: Full Body? What gives?
Atlus has released another concept art trailer for their upcoming, brand new IP ‘PROJECT Re FANTASY‘ which is obviously a working title. We know that this game is being developed by Studio Zero, which is a new studio lead by the Director of Persona 5. Right now they have this project and are also developing Catherine: Full Body remake on PlayStation 4.
If you guys forgot, we did a SEGA News Bits video on the Sonic Forces day one patch that had a Sanic shirt and Super Sonic. The Sanic shirt was released on November 27th for free. Well, now SEGA has made the Super Sonic transformation DLC live, at least in Europe. The page says it comes out on the 22nd, so expect it on the US PlayStation Store tomorrow.
“Speed through the levels faster than Sonic… as Super Sonic! Get the SUPER SONIC DLC for SONIC FORCES now to transform into Super Sonic across 20+ Modern and Classic Sonic. Collect the right amount of rings and Super Sonic will spring into action, giving you the ability to sprint across stages at break-neck speeds.”
According to the product description, you can’t participate in rankings with the Super Sonic DLC. If this was the end of this news story, I would say that SEGA did a great job, but sadly it isn’t. According to the Nintendo eShop page for the DLC, Super Sonic will be $2 paid DLC after January 23rd. I usually don’t mind companies adding new things to games and charging, if its worth it. But here are my issues with this…
SEGA has declared that they will be hosting a live stream for Valkyria Chronicles 4 before the end of the year. On December 27, SEGA has promised to show off the very first gameplay footage of the upcoming SRPG.
The live stream will start on December 27, 2018 at 8:00pm JST and can be viewed at:
SEGA has confirmed that guests on the stream include the following voice actresses: Naomi Ohzora (voices Nikola Grev) and Yukiyo Fujii (voices Kiara Rosina). Hashiyan Kosaka has been confirmed to MC the event. Of course the creators behind the game will also be on the stream, explaining things. I would hope.
Valkyria Chronicles 4 hits Japanese PlayStation 4 owners on March 21, 2018 and later in 2018 for Nintendo Switch. As for us Westerners, we will get the game on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch sometime in 2018.
